Halal meals are made with foods that conform to Islamic dietary laws. These laws include the forbidding of pork, carnivorous animals and alcohol, among other restrictions. While halal meals used to be the exclusive domain of the Islamic world, it is now common to find halal items on menus throughout the West. Whether ordering halal food from a restaurant or preparing it at home, some halal meals are traditional while others are not; some are healthy and may be easy to make as well.

Although there is no single definition of what makes a traditional halal meal, certain common dishes come from a variety of Islamic countries around the world. Without pork on the menu, lamb and chicken kebabs are a common halal meal, often served with pita bread, vegetables and different sauces or yogurts. Pakistani halal meals often feature lamb, chicken or beef cooked in a creamy sauce, or rice dishes featuring grilled meats and vegetables. Fried eggplants are also common in halal cuisine, often prepared with onions, spices and yogurt.

Ad

Healthy halal meals can be variations on traditional dishes using leaner cuts of meat and healthier ingredients, or different dishes entirely. One option is to use fish, which is generally leaner and healthier than meats. Healthy halal meal ideas include baked salmon, tuna scramble and a sardine salad or wrap. To make a halal meal healthier, cooks often use whole wheat flour instead of white, cut down on salt and refined sugar and use plenty of fresh vegetables.

Some halal meals can be prepared on the go if the right ingredients are kept in the kitchen or pantry. Stews are an easy way to use a variety of halal ingredients together to make a convenient meal. Beef or chicken can be cooked slowly with potatoes, vegetables and spices to make a savory halal stew. Sandwiches and salads using vegetables and sliced chicken breast are another way to make halal meals without too much effort or time required.

Halal food does not need to be restricted to foods that are traditional in Islamic cuisine. Any meals that use strictly halal ingredients are considered halal, no matter how Westernized those meals might seem to be. Cooks can make halal meals that start with soup, such as lentil or carrot soup. Non-traditional main dishes can include vegetable fritters, chili or lasagna. A dessert may follow, such as apple crisp or pie, chocolate cake or ice cream.

Ad

You might also Like

Recommended

Related wiseGEEK Articles

Discuss this Article

SarahGenPost 3

I don't live in an urban area and there are no halal groceries in my area. It's practically impossible for me to find halal meat and cheese. I'm almost eating vegan because I'm trying very hard to avoid all haram foods.

ZipLinePost 2

Desserts seem to be the most difficult course of a halal meal. There are many ingredients used in desserts that are not halal unless the halal version is specifically found and used. For example, unless it's labeled halal or vegetarian, gelatin in the US is not halal. The same goes for all food flavoring extracts like vanilla extract. These are made using alcohol, so they're not halal.

It must be very difficult for people to find all the right ingredients for a halal cake for example.

burcincPost 1

The article is absolutely right. A halal meal doesn't have to be a meal that belongs to a cuisine of a predominantly Muslim culture. So one doesn't have to have Middle Eastern food for it to be halal. Any meal made up of ingredients that are permitted by God are halal.

There are many Muslims in the US and many Americans are also converting to Islam. Do these people only eat kebab, lentil soup and baklava? Of course not.

I grew up in the US and I like a nice hamburger and my favorite dessert is apple pie. So eating halal does not mean that one cannot eat American foods, or Chinese for that matter. I've even seen halal Chinese restaurants in places like New York and New Jersey.

Post your comments

Please enter the code:

Login

Register

Make changes/additions/deletions to the article below, and one of our editors will publish your suggestions if warranted.

Optional: Explanation of your recommended changes

Thank You!

One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted.
Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive,
this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!